Thursday, 28 July 2016

When
Brandon Kenner shows up at Kasey Ralston’s garage with a 1970 Chevelle
SS 454, Kasey is smitten by both the man and his car. But Kasey is
hiding an embarrassing secret: his love for old muscles goes beyond what
most would consider normal. His unusual fetish has kept Kasey
isolated—estranged from his family and even distant from his coworkers.

But
when Brandon figures out the hot mechanic’s secret, he’s not repulsed.
In fact, he finds Kasey intriguing, and he’s determined to have him for
himself.

Everything about Brandon revs Kasey’s engine, and he’s
more than willing to get down and dirty with the charming man. What
worries Kasey is what will happen after. Is there any chance of a future
for them? In the past, expecting anything long-term has only led to
heartbreak. But Kasey can’t help hoping that, despite Kasey’s fetish,
Brandon will be the exception.

First Edition published by Amber Quill Press, 2013.Second Edition published by Amber Allure, 2014

REVIEW

All of the kinks books I have ever read, this one is the stranger. I mean, turn on over a car? You tell me! LOL
But I'm glad I read this book. This is somehow sweet, fluffy, love/lust at first sight.
I'm glad Kasey is finally found someone who understood about his kink and has a kink of a guy with a kink. Look at Brandon's exes...he was made for Kasey for sure.
But again, this story is too short and I'm a sucker for an epilogue. I felt uncertain about their future together.
Anyway, this is fun and enjoyable read for me. Not a stellar one, but at some point, entertaining.

* Review Copy provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Lilly from Lelyana's Book Blog. *

Marie Sexton lives in
Colorado. She’s a fan of just about anything that involves muscular
young men piling on top of each other. In particular, she loves the
Denver Broncos and enjoys going to the games with her husband. Her
imaginary friends often tag along. Marie has one daughter, two cats, and
one dog, all of whom seem bent on destroying what remains of her
sanity. She loves them anyway.

Alex Corrigan is in
love with his boss, Judge Lawson Daniels, and thinks those feelings are
returned. That assumption is sorely tested two days before the court
holiday party they’re organizing together, when the venue calls and
cancels, followed by a snafu with the caterer. Alex could handle that,
but after an intimate dinner followed by a decidedly unromantic e-mail,
he’s left wondering about the future of his employment as well as his
relationship with the debonair older man.

Law can’t wait to see
his clerk again. But Alex is cold and distant in the light of day, and
Law doesn’t understand. The party looms in the background, but Law’s
excitement is turning to dread. On top of that, someone is sabotaging
them, trying to get Alex fired and drive Law off the bench. If there’s
any chance for a happy holiday for Alex and Law, they’ll have to find
out who.

This is my first book of this author.
Quite a fun holiday story, because Christmas should be full of joy.
But before the joy, well, seemed that Alex and Law should worked it out.
A little ridiculous and dramatic, because I often 'see' some females in my MM stories either too annoying and begged for me to slap them, or too good to be true.
I choose the last one. But unfortunatelly Becky is the annoying one.
But I enjoyed this nonetheless. Because, you need a good mood to read this one. And I was in a good mood last night :)
And the sex between Alex and Law, man, that's hot !
Sometimes we do need this kind of story to lightened the day, and as I write this review in the morning, I'm kinda looking forward to read this author's other books in the future.

* Review Copy provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Lilly from Lelyana's Book Blog*

Monday, 18 July 2016

Carter Haywood lives for the weekends—specifically the one weekend every month when he escapes real life, with all the pressures of work and caring for his special needs brother, to do whatever he wants, with whomever he wants. Sex is only a release; he's not looking for love, a relationship or even a second night with the same man, until he walks into a bar and finds someone who makes leaving it all behind impossible. After one incredibly passionate encounter, he breaks his rule and goes back. He needs to see this man again. And again.

Damaged goods. That's all Reed Kincaide sees and hears when he looks in the mirror. Anxiety and ADHD define his life and he’s learned to keep people at a distance, never letting them get close enough to know who he really is. When Carter proposes a monthly weekend of sex without strings, it's the ideal arrangement for him. Or so he thinks. Every month, leaving Carter proves to be more and more difficult. It’s not only the intensely hot sex they have in their hotel suite; Reed wonders about the secret life Carter refuses to share.

As months pass and they grow closer Reed finds himself falling for Carter, but he needs more than hurried hugs and farewell kisses. He wants it all. Letting Reed into his carefully constructed family life could upset Carter’s whole world, but it might be the risk he’s finally willing to take, if it means keeping Reed. Once bodies are engaged, the heart is sure to follow, and Carter and Reed discover that holding on to each other is the first step in letting go of the past.

It wasn’t the same standard room this time, Reed noticed. Carter had a suite, and Reed hadn’t ever been in a hotel room quite as large or luxurious. The outer room boasted a dining table with four chairs, a credenza with a flat-screen television, a large, comfortable-looking sofa, and two club chairs. A low light glowed from an interior room, which Reed assumed to be the bedroom. His stomach clenched tightly in response.

“Uh, sure. I wasn’t working the bar, just doing some of the office work for Vernon, so he didn’t care if I left.” Still holding on to his waist, Carter walked him over to the sofa where Reed dropped his knapsack and duffel bag, then managed to break Carter’s hold on him so he could remove his jacket. On the pretense of looking around the room, Reed walked around a bit before halting by the wall of windows overlooking the congested streets of Times Square.

“It’s bizarre, you know?” He touched the cool pane of glass. “There’s so many separate worlds going on all over the city. We’re in this secluded bubble up here where we don’t even hear the sound of the traffic. Anything could happen, and no one would realize it; love, death, every day it all goes on around us and we remain oblivious.”

He sensed Carter behind him. “That’s very philosophical. Is that what you’re studying—philosophy?”

The disbelief in Carter’s voice caused Reed to smile, but he kept his gaze fixed on the glittering light show outside the window instead of turning around to meet Carter’s eyes. “No, I’m studying hospitality management. I’d like to eventually manage my own restaurant or a hotel.”

“Good. For a moment I thought you were wasting your tuition money on nonsense. You’ll never make any money studying that crap. It’s not like you can open up a philosophy store and spend your day spouting all that bullshit to people.”

Strangely enough, Carter’s obvious disdain quieted Reed’s nerves. “I don’t know; I could see myself sitting in a nice quiet space, talking to people about their lives, thinking deep thoughts.”

“Oh yeah?” Carter pressed him against the window, covering Reed with his body. He’d forgotten Carter had been naked when he entered, and Reed could feel the thrust of his cock against his ass. “Maybe you have something there ’cause I like it when you get deep.” Carter kissed behind his ear, sending shivers down Reed’s spine. “Deep inside me.”

A surge of lust jolted through Reed, stiffening his dick, and heat flooded through him. Carter’s tongue traced a slow deliberate pattern across his neck and Reed’s pulse raced. “I like that too,” he whispered, and Carter’s lips curved in a brief smile against his ear, his breath hot and humid.

Author Bio

I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner, my characters have to work for it, however. Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.

I live in New York City with my husband and two children and hopefully soon a cat of my own. My day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. I practice law but daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be a few bumps along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

Every time Felice Stevens's
book is coming out, I always full of anticipation, who else people's
gonna hate that I will love. Seriously, Felice has her own way to drive
me to love an annoying MC that people wants to slap or put a fist on his
face.
Micah from Memories of the Heart is one of the example. Its almost everyone wanted to punch Micah, while I loved him and wants to wrap him in a mama bear hugs.

Carter
has the same vibes as Micah. Arrogant, stubborn, selfish and soon as
you know what he did to Reed, you'll have a feeling to hate him and
punch him in the mouth !Not me. Nah. Never.
I knew he has issues, and I was right. It's just need people with patience like me and Reed to find out. (Pat my back).
From a one night stand arrangement to a life time arrangement, the two MCs having an an interesting development.
I
know that Carter won't let Reed slipped easily from his arms after the
night Reed broke down with his panic attack. He can't, because Carter
knows how to handle people like Reed, and he knows he's the right person
for Reed.
He's just too stubborn to admit that he also needed Reed
in his life. I liked Carter's relationship with his brother, that's what
brothers relationship supposed to be, IMO.

Reading The
Arrangement, makes me happy. That brotherly love is still there, that
people with some disability deserves to have love and even more love (I
won't called ADHD as an ability tho, since I have one as well, and I
feel as normal as I can be, no matter what people sees in me).
It warmed my heart that Reed is finally has a place and person he can called 'home' in Carter.
I'm glad Felice is an auto read author for me, because I's a sucker for a guaranteed HEA.
Well done Felice, can't wait for your next work !

ABOUT FELICE STEVENS

Felice have always been a romantic
at heart. She believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy
ending around the corner, her characters have to work for it, however.
Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.

She live in New York City with her husband and two children and hopefully
soon a cat of her own. Her day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with
a glass or two of red wine. She practice law but daydream of a time when she
can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling
in love. Although there is bound to be a few bumps along the way, a
Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

Randall Morgan,
youngest son of one of Seattle’s wealthiest families, rejected his
family’s money to live free of their control and pursue his career as a
photographer. To make ends meet, Randall does erotic photography and
massage—a secret he keeps from his family so he can remain a part of his
young niece’s life. But the price of that relationship is high, and
Randall is once more slipping under his family’s thumb.

Noah
Carroll is the spokesperson for the Seattle Humane Society, and the city
holds a special place in his heart. When fate intervenes during a pet
adoption, Noah finds himself face-to-face with his first love—Randall.

While
Noah and Randall are not the teenagers they once were, the flame of a
first kiss long ago draws them together. Their romance is beginning to
grow, but someone is out to destroy Randall and expose all he keeps
hidden.

When secrets and rumors thrust Randall into the public
eye, his relationship with Noah isn’t the only thing that comes under
threat.

REVIEW

This is a new to me author, my first Brandon Witt.I loved the idea of the story when I read the blurb. You know, good cover, good blurb. Got me captivated.Here's
the thing with this book. It's too long and too many twist and
betrayal. I don't want to give you any spoiler but it's too hard not to
give a spoiler.Randall is
too weak, Noah is too easy. There's no conflict between the two heroes,
because Noah told Randall that they're meant for each other since the
first kiss.Yes, I get it that Noah loved Randall for 22 years since
he was 14 year old. But doesn't make sense to me about true love when
you're just 14. Skip that part. They're meant to be, let it be.Here
comes Randall and his profession, so many conflict about it, and his
dependable to his niece is too much. The betrayal among family is
overrated IMO. I mean, come on...I know it's parents job to
humiliate your children, but dragged Randall to hell and made a family's
name bad? Not so much. With a doormat mother, Randall couldn't expect
much from her. Good thing is, Kayla stand for him. Kayla. The in law.
Not Noah. all Noah do is being there and being a patient boyfriend and
be there for Randall. It's not that's bad either, but I don't know. I
think he needed to do what Kayla's did for Randall.

If
only the author shortened the story about 100 pages less, and leave to
the readers a chance to explore instead of too much telling, I'll
probably liked the story. This book is too detail with things that don't
need details, too much telling and I got bored easily.

But if you're into this kind of story, this probably 'wow' you.It was just an okay read for me, put it down a few times, but I finished it. It's a good sign.

Next.

ABOUT BRANDON WITT

Brandon Witt's outlook on life
is greatly impacted by his first eighteen years of growing up gay in a
small town in the Ozarks, as well as fifteen years as a counselor and
special education teacher for students with severe emotional
disabilities. Add to that his obsession with corgis and mermaids, then
factor in an unhealthy love affair with cheeseburgers, and you realize
that with all those issues, he's got plenty to write about....

Everyone at Jim Irving’s
garage is gung ho about Wrench Wars, a new reality show featuring
mechanics. Everyone, that is, except talented mechanic Chandler Scott,
the sole employee who has refused to sign the contract. The rest of the
mechanics are pressuring him too, because without Chandler—and his
volatile interactions with his boss—no one’s getting on the show.

Chandler’s
one ally is Jim’s son, Mark, who’s being forced to work for his dad
until he pays down his student loans or finds a better job—and who’s
been Chandler’s secret lover for a while.

Then a playful tryst in
the garage blows up in their faces, giving the network ammo to
blackmail Chandler by threatening to out Mark to his father. Now
Chandler is backed into a corner, and Mark needs to decide how far he’s
willing to go to protect the man who’s been sharing his bed… and may
have stolen his heart

REVIEW

This book captured my attention soon as I'd read the blurb.
I'm a sucker of mechanics in my reading. And this is L.A. Witt, one of my auto-read MM author.
Add a gorgeous cover, then I'm sold.
As mentioned on the blurb, Chandler and Mark has been 'best friend' (with benefit) for two years.
It's just they're never really realized that it's been a long time they're fall for each other.
Jim, Mark's homophobic father is the reason. Mark is also has own reason not to coming out to his parent, i think I can understand that.
Good thing is, Chandler is a very patient man, he waits.
And then some people blackmailing him and distressed the hell out of him.
Mark can't see him like that. It destroyed him seeing Chandler is getting in the nerves everyday.
And he stand up for his lover and told his father in front of everyone, he's not going to stay in the closet anymore. Not for his father, not for money, not for his future.
It's all for Chandler , a man he's been in love with for so long.

I loved the way Chandler and mark's interaction, stealing intimacy in the middle of work, taking care of each other with their own way. Chandler let them blackmailed him just to protect Mark and Mark coming out for Chandler's sake, protected the man he loved from his father?
That's the sweetest things lovers could do, right?

At the end of the story, I'm glad they can figure it out, not too desperate about what future would bring, because, hey, Chandler wants forever with Mark. What to do next after their plan, I believe they will have their HEA somehow.

This is short, and fun. Lots of hot sex read in rainy day, just what I need.
Two mechanics, hot steamy sex, and a happy ending.
What's not to love?

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M
romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn
maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern
coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn't lose her mind in
Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant
hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies.

She
also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has
recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her
nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don't tell Lauren. And
definitely don't tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those
twits can keep their mouths shut...

Xavi doesn’t believe in love anymore. Love has never changed the outcome of anything. It has only hurt him.

Sam
is sick, and he wants one last thing. He wants Xavi to be with him, to
stay with him until the end. Xavi drops everything and promises Sam he
will be there.

As they travel across the countryside in a stolen
sea-green Cadillac, they search for something neither has the courage to
admit he’s looking for. But as the days slip away, Xavi isn’t sure he
can keep his promise; he isn’t sure about anything. He can’t help Sam do
this. He can’t stand by and watch Sam suffer, can’t be content to let
Sam give up.

Saving Sam becomes the only thing that makes any
sense, the only thing Xavi wants. Loving Sam becomes the most important
promise he will ever make. Now he just has to convince Sam that life—and
love—are worth fighting for.

REVIEW

*** FIVE STARS!***

We are the field of wildflowers, we are the sky, we are the sea,
we are this moment, and this moment is ours. And it always will be.

* A beautiful heartbreaking story*

I have always admire Suki Fleet to make me feels.Just like when I
read her other book like "This is Not a Love Story", this one's also
poetic and bitter, yet romantic with its own way.This is almost feels like how true love is supposed to be.#, with Xavi and Sam.To
be honest, usually what Xavi did in his denial that night was a deal
breaker for me. But I can see he's so confused about his feeling for
Sam.He wanted Sam, but he didn't want Sam, but he can't stop thinking about Sam and be there for him when Sam needed him the most.People
makes mistakes, Xavi made mistake that night. Good thing is, he didn't
finish it and he did regret right after that, and gave everything he can
to make it better with Sam.He did.I loved what he did, he
didn't just stay for Sam, but determined to make Sam have a strength to
live again. Because he didn't want Sam to die.

You can't make someone love you or save them from falling
hopelessly, uselessly apart, and you can't stop them from dying. Each
and every one of us is accountable for ourselves alone.

I loved how this story ended.They have their HFN, and still working on Sam's health. For me, that's a win-win.There were some tears, anger, sadness, but there are also some erotic moments between the two MCs. If you're just let Xavi's mistake go and forgive him, this one has a lot for a short story.I really enjoyed the story, and if you miss This is Not a Love Story, this one will fulfill your need.

He searches my face with eyes so dark and so fucking full of
trust, even though he has no reason to ever trust me again. Even though
I've deserted him, broken promises, rejected him, and betrayed his
feelings with a fucking stranger. I close my eyes against the sudden
spill of my tears.

Recommended !

Sometimes stories are all we have left. We carry so many of them
hidden in the cage of our bodies, written like secrets on the map of
our skin. Most of us more scarred than tattooed : the walking wounded,
afraid of how our story ends. Some of us find comfort in make-believe,
as if the truth there is somehow easier to believe than our own.

* ARC was given by Publisher for a fair and an unbiased review *

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Suki Fleet's first novel
This is Not a Love Story won Best Gay Debut in the 2014 Rainbow Awards,
and was a finalist in the 2015 Lambda Awards.